Technology now allows us to collaborate with people around the world, and scale many kinds of traditional businesses to global proportions on the internet. What many folks don’t realize is that this means that you’re no longer tied to one place, geographically. You can hire assistants in India or the Philippines, manufacture in China, and sell products to customers in North America, Europe, and Australia. So why not live wherever you want to?
Now you have the freedom to Live & Travel where you choose!
A location-independent professional—or a digital nomad—is someone who leverages technology to work wherever they want—be it from home, your favorite coffee shop, on the beach, or even from the other side of the world! These nomadic entrepreneurs use their laptops, iPhones, a little resourcefulness, and a few handy web-based applications to earn an income wherever they live or travel.
Location-independent professionals frequently work as freelance writers, photographers, affiliate marketers, web designers, software developers, graphic designers, and sometimes they simply pick up odd jobs as they go.
Social media makes it possible to share your ideas with a global audience and build a successful multinational business (even if it’s only you), and with the increasing availability of free and cheap wifi internet access all around the globe, it’s becoming increasingly feasible to work and travel your way around the globe simultaneously!
The fact is it has never been easier to Design Your Ideal Lifestyle and Live and Work Anywhere in the World!
I left California in November 2008 with a one-way ticket to Asia and no plans to return for at least a year.
My desire to travel abroad started as a bit of an escape—to start fresh somewhere new. I’d had a nasty breakup, found myself bored in my 9-to-5 office job, stagnating in my personal growth, followed by another messy relationship. I was ready for change. I had lived in my hometown for 24 years and I was ready for new scenery.
And my interest in coming to Southeast Asia was fueled by Timothy Ferriss’ inspiring New York Times Bestseller The 4 Hour Workweek. Ferriss, along with a few other prominent vagabonds, noted that Thailand and Argentina were two of the world’s remaining dream destinations where the U.S. Dollar will still stretch a long way.
When I read Tim Ferriss’ 4HWW, I learned that all the rules have changed. Working 40- to 60-hour weeks and waiting until retirement to do what you really want to do isn’t the only option. The “deferred life plan” is for losers.
So rather than waiting for retirement and daydreaming about my hopeful future in beach paradise, I decided to build a lifestyle that would let me earn a decent income and travel at the same time.
How Tim Ferriss inspired me to become a Digital Nomad and travel Asia
It doesn’t cost as much as you might think to live a rockstar lifestyle and jet set around the world, and it really isn’t all about money anyways! Ferriss points out that we don’t really want to be millionaires, we want to experience what we think only millions can buy.
By leveraging geo-arbitrage—earning in a strong currency while you live somewhere with a low cost-of-living—extended travel and living abroad can actually present some massive advantages.
Creating a business that I could run remotely from anywhere on the globe has given me the freedom to choose where I live, when I work, and it has enabled me to travel and free up more time to put into relationships, writing, volunteering, and other side projects that might not contribute to my income.
Living this lifestyle teaches you that traveling is easier than you think: with a little resourcefulness, you’ll be amazed what sort of great experiences you can have for free or very cheap! You will see some incredible things that will change the way you think about the world.
To share a little taste of the secret agent lifestyle, here are a few videos from my recent adventures.
In late March, I took a brief trip with friends to the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh and then to see the ancient temple ruins at Angkor Wat. Watch for sunset at the temple, stunning and eerie photos of the ruins, and watch as we get the special opportunity to witness a Buddhist monk ordination ceremony atop the summit of a steep temple:
In April, I flew home to the US to roadtrip with friends to Indio, California and attend the Coachella Valley Music Festival, an awesome 3-day concert in the California desert, to see Paul McCartney, The Killers, M.I.A., Thievery Corporation, Franz Ferdinand, The Crystal Method, Michael Franti, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, and more in concert:
I returned to Thailand, where I spent some quality time on the beach in Krabi with the girlfriend and some new travel buddies. Watch for cheap accommodation suggestions, a longtail boat ride-along, incredible poi dancing, and feeding monkeys on the beach:
What the Hell Are You Waiting For!? If I can do it, You Can Live Your Dream Lifestyle Too!
Do you want to learn how to live the digital nomad lifestyle too?? Sign up to my exclusive newsletter to get FREE tips on how to go location-independent and live a kickass adventurous life! Sign up for free here.
My goal here at Thrilling Heroics is to inspire others to pursue freedom too—the freedom to live and work anywhere, and to live life beyond borders and limitations.
And if you are serious about developing a business that you can run from anywhere, I highly recommend you check out the Empire Building Kit, along with my recommended tools & resources for Lifestyle Designers & Digital Nomads. These are all of my best-kept secrets: the applications, financial tools, and resources that I use daily and recommend to all my clients and friends.
Blog Articles, Guides & Books
- How to Go Location-Independent and Become a Digital Nomad
- Live a Remarkable Life: Inspiration to Overcome Your Fears
- Reflections after a Year Living Abroad in Southeast Asia
- Going Global: How To Run a Location Independent Business
- How to Live Anywhere: The Official Guide to Ridiculously Extraordinary Freedom
- 007 Lifestyle Guide: Living Like James Bond
- The 4-Hour Workweek: Escape 9-5, Live Anywhere, and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss
- Emergency: This Book Will Save Your Life by Niel Strauss
- Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel by Rolf Potts
What are you waiting for?! If you want to learn how to live the digital nomad lifestyle, sign up for my exclusive newsletter to get FREE tips on how to go location independent and live a kickass adventurous life! Sign up for free here.
